Nick Diamonds

Indie music fans are likely familiar with Nick Diamonds (aka Nicholas Thorburn) as a guiding force behind two popular and acclaimed Canadian bands: The Unicorns (which reunited last year to open for Arcade Fire) and (the still-active) Islands. The prolific Diamonds is also part of the supergroup Mister Heavenly, and he created the score for the Peabody Award-winning podcast, Serial. Earlier this year, Diamonds released his second solo album, the compelling and dynamic City of Quartz. Though dominated by Electronic sounds and beats, fans who can’t get enough of Thorburn are undoubtedly thrilled with the solo material, which mixes upbeat Synth Pop with a healthy dose of melancholic introspection and zigzagging idiosyncrasy, plus occasional bursts of experimentalism and offbeat samples (like a creepy Charles Manson quote). Some have criticized the album for a lack of focus, but that’s exactly what makes the album such a captivating listen.